Military action against Iran would be a "very serious mistake fraught with unpredictable consequences", Russia's foreign minister has warned.
Sergei Lavrov said diplomacy, not missile strikes, was the only way to solve the Iranian nuclear problem.
His comments come after Israeli President … [Read more...]

More than 20 people have been killed in renewed attacks by Syrian security forces in the city of Homs, anti-government activists say.
The violence has continued despite the government agreeing to pull its forces off the streets and begin dialogue with the opposition as part of an Arab League … [Read more...]

Israel and Hamas have agreed a deal for the release of Sgt Gilad Shalit, an Israeli soldier held hostage by Palestinian militants for five years.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the deal had been reached after arduous talks, and that Sgt Shalit would be back with his family "within … [Read more...]

Iranian actress, Marzieh Vafamehr has been sentenced to a year in prison and 90 lashes for appearing in an Australian-produced movie critical of the Islamic republic's hard-line policies.
Marzieh Vafamehr appeared in the film My Tehran for Sale, shot in the Iranian capital, which tells the story … [Read more...]

The United Nations human rights office says the death toll in Syria since the pro-democracy demonstrations began in March is at more than 2,900 people. This is up 200 on their previous estimate.
On Tuesday, the UN Security Council failed to agree a resolution on taking action against … [Read more...]

Israel has approved a plan to build 1100 new homes in the southern Jerusalem settlement of Gilo.
"The Israeli interior ministry announced on Tuesday that the plan for 1100 new housing units in Gilo had passed its district planning committee, and will now be available for public objections for 60 … [Read more...]

A court in Saudi Arabia has sentenced a woman to 10 lashes for breaking the country's ban on female drivers.
The woman, identified only as Shema, had been protesting against the ban on woman drivers in the Gulf kingdom. She was found guilty of driving in Jeddah last July.
Women2drive, which … [Read more...]

The International Red Cross has been allowed to visit a Syrian prison for the first time since civil unrest broke out five months ago.
Red Cross President Jakob Kellenberger also held talks with President Bashar al-Assad to discuss the treatment of prisoners. Mr Kellenberger said he had … [Read more...]

The Israeli air force has carried out an air strike in Gaza on a house in Rafah, in retaliation for attacks in Israel.
Israeli officials had warned that there would be trouble after militants attacked vehicles near Eilat in southern Israel killing seven people. The Israeli army killed seven of … [Read more...]

The Syrian military offensive against civilians in the port city of Latakia has claimed the lives of at least four Palestinian refugees and forced Thousands to flee.
The Syrian Navy have backed up a ground offensive and a spokesman for the United Nations Relief and Works agency (Unrwa) says that … [Read more...]

As Syria's violent clampdown against internal dissent continues, the governments of countries in the region have recalled their ambassadors for consultaton.
Saudi Arabia, Kuwait and Bahrain say they were recalling their ambassadors from Syria to discuss the situation.
Saudi Arabia's King … [Read more...]

Unprecedented protests in Israel have seen hundreds of thousands take to the streets to demand government action over the rising cost of living.
The largest protest was in Tel Aviv where police said at least 200,000 people were on the streets, while another 30,000 marched in Jerusalem.
Some … [Read more...]

The trial of Egypt's ex-President Hosni Mubarak on corruption and murder charges has begun in Cairo with Mubarak wheeled into the courtroom in a hospital bed and placed in a cage.
The 83 year-old former leader has denied charges of corruption and ordering the killing of protesters.
He is on … [Read more...]

Francois Abutbul - one of Israel's most prominent organized crime gangters has been gunned down in a drive-by shooting.
Police say two men on a motorcycle opened fire (newswarped thinks that maybe one of them was steering the bike and one shooting) on Francois Abutbul early Sunday as he stopped … [Read more...]

Israeli authorities say they have seized a boat carrying arms in the Dead Sea and are questioning two Palestinians who were on the vessel.
The boat was carrying assault rifles, ammunition and other weapons, according to an Israeli military statement.
The military say the weapons were being … [Read more...]